Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Moroccan News Briefs #68

Morocco's Speed Cameras May Be Privatised

According to authoritative sources, the Ministry of Equipment and Transport has been putting the finishing touches to a project to delegate to private industry the installation and operation of speed cameras. The company will be delegated to place and maintain, 960 advanced type radars to control speed on national roads. According to the same sources, the company will also have 120 aircraft equipped with cameras to monitor compliance.

In addition to monitoring, the successful bidder will also be able to establish the offenses recorded and pass the information on to the organisations authorized to issue tickets.

The Department is continuing its efforts to improve the monitoring of speed as it is the main source of the carnage on the roads. The Department expects to receive a new delivery of radars of which 120 will go to the police and 230 to the gendarmerie. With the new equipment he police will be able to increase the number of monthly checks from 4964 to 6000, and the gendarmerie from 2460 to 4000 checks per month.

These provisions were instigated after a meeting of the National Committee for the prevention of traffic accidents that decided to increase this type of control, knowing that 80% of road accidents are due to human error.

Observers say that this move is a positive one that will help stamp out corruption. It is to be hoped this proves correct.

More flights to Casablanca

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will increase its services to Casablanca to provide daily flights from March 28, 2013.

Etihad currently flies five times a week between Abu Dhabi and Casablanca and in June, celebrated the seventh anniversary of operations to the Moroccan capital.

The daily service will support traffic growth between Abu Dhabi and Casablanca and connecting traffic to many popular onward GCC destinations including Jeddah, and a choice of Asian cities such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Sydney. The additional services will improve the connectivity in Abu Dhabi by 50 per cent.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ president and chief executive officer, said: “The Moroccan capital has been a successful destination for us and retains strong volumes of business and leisure passengers throughout the year. We believe there are good prospects for further growth in the region.

“Abu Dhabi’s geographical location makes it ideal as a gateway for air travellers from Morocco to connect to markets in Australia, the Far East and throughout the Arabian Gulf easily and quickly.”

The daily service will also strengthen connectivity with code share partner, Royal Air Maroc, allowing Etihad Airways passengers more choice to connect to domestic Moroccan destinations and other points in West Africa.

Etihad Airways operates a three cabin A330-300 aircraft between Abu Dhabi and Casablanca, configured to carry eight passengers in Diamond First class, 32 passengers in Pearl Business class, and 191 passengers in Coral Economy class.

Fez: City of Saints - Release in September

The Medina of Fez

In March 2011, on the eve of the 'Arab Spring', leading Islamic scholars convened in the ancient city of Fez for a summit seeking hope and a new vision for the future of the Muslim world. Among the international participants in this historic summit chaired by Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah was Habib Umar bin Hafiz, a prominent scholar and founder of the renowned Dar al Mustafa Seminary in Tarim, Yemen.

Habib Umar in the Qarawiyyin Mosque

It was Habib Umar's first trip to the Maghreb. The film captures his travels and responses as he journeys through a land brimming with spirituality, knowledge and history. From the serene courtyards of University of Qarawiyyin to busling souk streets, from walled city of Fez to the mountainous sanctuary of Moulay Idris, the film shares the spiritual secrets of the places and their stories.

The beauty of the great city of Fez, founded by descendants of the Prophet is shared by a visitor, Habib Umar, who is himself a descendant of that great household. The result is a moving meeting of two traditions that form the very core of great Islamic narrative.

THE VIEW FROM FEZ ~ YOUR WINDOW INTO MOROCCO

The View from Fez aims to promote interest and understanding of life in Fez in particular and Morocco in general. The View from Fez is produced in Fez by the registered company: The View from Fez (Pat: 40461390). Our contributors are based in the Fez Medina and in other centres around Morocco. We welcome contributions from writers and photographers across the country.